When Times Are Slow, Reflect On Your Passport

-Elder Neal A. Maxwell, 1979:

I [was] driving to a stake conference in Elko, Nevada, across that rather barren, but beautiful in its own way, stretch of desert. During that drive, it was brought forcibly to me that the seeming flat periods of life give us a blessed chance to reflect upon what is past as well as to be readied for some rather stirring climbs ahead. Instead of grumbling and murmuring, we should be consolidating and reflecting, which would not be possible if life were an uninterrupted sequence of fantastic scenery, confrontive events, and exhilarating conversation.

Patience helps us to use, rather than to protest, these seeming flat periods of life, becoming filled with quiet wonder over the past and with anticipation for that which may lie ahead, instead of demeaning the particular flatness through which we may be passing at the time. We should savor even the seemingly ordinary times, for life cannot be made up all of kettledrums and crashing cymbals. There must be some flutes and violins. Living cannot be all crescendo; there must be some dynamic contrast.

And so not every blog entry is full of fun and excitement, especially as one rides through the "flat periods" that give life more definition and contrast.


Recently I had to renew my passport. I did it all through the mail and it went like a charm. I received my new passport this week along with the canceled-out old one.

In honor of the new and in memoriam of the old, I reflect on each of the 34 countries I have visited in my life so far. These are in the order of when I visited them although the photos are not necessarily from my first visit...


#1: The United States of America

Eating space ice cream in front of the US Capitol, Washington D.C.

#2: Canada

At the Empress Hotel, Victoria, British Columbia

#3: Mexico

The fam at Tulum, Quintana Roo

#4: England (U.K.)

Karyn, Aimee, and I in Liverpool

#4: Wales (U.K.)

The fam at Conwy castle

#4: Scotland (U.K)

Mike and I at Edinburgh Castle

#5: France

C'est Paris!

#6: Germany

No, that's not my nipple.

#7: Hungary

On the Danube, Budapest

#8: Slovakia

Little border town near the Danube

#9: Austria

Ray? A drop of golden sun!

#10: Italy

No-Longer-Leaning Tower of Pisa

#11: Vatican City

Beware of Illuminati

#12: Peru

New friend in Olyantaytambo

#13: Bolivia

The ruins of Tiwanacu

#14: Chile

Chillin' in Arica

#15: Colombia

Very exciting street scene from Leticia, Amazonas

#16: Brazil

Boating across piranha-infested lakes. Later went swimming in lake.

#17: Ecuador

Watching boobies

#18: Honduras

Is that a monkey on your backpack or are you just happy etc. etc.

#19: Belize

Cave tubin'

#20: The Netherlands

Valkenburg with relatives

#21: Belgium

very exciting

#22: The Czech Republic

Smetana and I in Prague

#23: Poland

Polski

#24: Switzerland

Kevin, you're such a disease.

#25: Denmark

Tivoli!

#26: Sweden

Szilvia and I in Malmö

#27: Slovenia

Urban and I on the Soča River (the one from Narnia)

#28: Serbia

Peter and I in front of Maglič Castle

#29: Kosovo

Ooh... I wanna take ya...

#30: Macedonia

At Lake Ohrid

#31: Albania

Berat or besquare

#32: Montenegro

It's my birthday.

#33: Croatia

Dubrovnik... and apparently I'm the 16th of something.

#34: Bosnia & Herzegovina

Nice tan at this point. Mostar

And last but not least...

#??: The Norway Ride at Epcot Center

Not sure if this counts.

What stamps will fill my new passport?? We'll just have to wait and see...

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